2(38 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



condition of the worst infested territory is believed to be 

 better than it was one 3'ear ago, notwithstanding the fact 

 that lack of funds obliged the committee to reduce the 

 amount of work done there to the minimum. 



The plan proposed last year and submitted to the Legis- 

 lature, with request for an appropriation of $165,000, con- 

 templated the employment of a sufficient force to do all that 

 it was thought would contribute toward extermination in all 

 the infested territory. With only about sixty per cent, of the 

 appropriation asked for, only sixt}^ per cent, of the work con- 

 templated could be done, and as the plan could not l)e com- 

 pletely carried out, the season's work in many places is 

 necessarily left in an unfinished condition. This condition 

 will necessitate a larger expenditure next season to complete 

 the work than would have been necessary while it was in 

 hand the past season. The committee believe that the 

 economical continuation of the effort to exterminate demands 

 that all the work possible tending to the end in view should 

 be done at once. The sooner the work is reduced to a 

 simple work of inspection the sooner can the amount of the 

 appropriations be safely reduced. The sum asked for last 

 year can, we believe, be economically applied during the 

 coming year, and we therefore recommend that $165,000 be 

 appropriated for the work of the ensuing year. 



It will be remembered that the Legislature of 1893 by 

 Tesolve requested " the Senators and Representatives from 

 the Commonwealth in the Congress of the United States to 

 urge upon Congress the necessity of prompt and vigorous 

 action to exterminate said pest (gypsy moth) , and to use 

 their influence to secure from Congress an appropriation of 

 one hundred thousand dollars to assist the Commonwealth in 

 defraying the necessary expenses of the work." A commit- 

 tee Avas sent to Washington to assist in the matter l)y in- 

 terviewing the Secretary of Agriculture, the committees 

 on Agriculture and Appropriations. From what this com- 

 mittee could learn and from recent communications from the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, we are satisfied that no assistance 

 <3an, for the present at least, be expected from the general 

 government. 



Early in the summer of 1893 five of the most experienced 

 entomologists of the neighboring States, holding important 



